Dominant Performance, but Room for Improvement
The "Sang et Or" have maintained their unbeaten streak in the classico, but their victory was not as convincing as it could have been. They certainly could have done better!
According to La Presse, it has been four years since Espérance has won the classico against Etoile, and this trend continued last Sunday. However, the narrow victory does not reflect the team's total domination throughout the match, particularly in the second half.
The score could have been more significant if the team had capitalized on certain clear opportunities. The ball narrowly missed the frame on several occasions, such as Houssem Tka's powerful shot (51'), Chiheb Jebali's diving header (54'), and Kouceila Boualia's strike that hit the crossbar (62'). Youssef Belaïli was the provider of the decisive pass on the last two mentioned actions.
The Algerian left winger was able to benefit from a large space to maneuver, thanks to the pressure exerted by center-forward Florian Danho on the Etoile defense, which created openings for Belaïli. However, a flaw persists in Espérance's offensive strategy: the finishing touch on certain actions, where the attackers make the most difficult part of the play, only to miss the target by a hair's breadth.
A Crucial Save
In a match where the attackers played with fire, sometimes missing the unmissable, Béchir Ben Saïd made a decisive save with his left hand at the 69th minute, before Guenichi completely cleared the danger. This save was undoubtedly the turning point of the match, as if the ball had crossed the line, the scenario could have been different.
What is also positive is that there are alternative solutions in defense. When Mohamed Amine Tougaï was forced out due to injury at the end of the first half, Khalil Guenichi dropped back to support Yassine Meriah in the axis, ceding his place in the midfield to Onuche Ogbelu. And when Chiheb Jebali was substituted out and Hamza Jelassi came in, Guenichi resumed his position in the midfield.
In short, the richness of the squad in all three compartments has not yet translated into results in big matches. There is still work to be done to improve the attack's success rate. Given the volume of play developed, the synchronization, and the combinations that allow for piercing defenses, the scores should be more substantial in high-stakes matches. And since the Champions League is the benchmark for success for the "Sang et Or", it is clear that adjustments need to be made, particularly in the attack, to hope to go far.
